On July 8, around 10:00 AM, Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine. By 11:00 AM, missile debris had been recorded falling in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi, Dniprovskyi, Darnytskyi, Desnianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Holosiivskyi districts. The capital’s most renowned children’s hospital, “Okhmatdyt,” was also hit and badly damaged.
Ukrainian Security Service investigators have preliminarily identified that Russia targeted the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv with an X-101 missile, as reported by the SBU press service. At the incident site, fragments of the missile’s rear section, bearing serial numbers, and a portion of its rudder were retrieved.
Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said in Ukraine’s United News telethon that the Russian strike targeted the toxicology building, where children undergoing dialysis were housed. The intensive care unit, operating rooms, and oncology departments were also severely hit. Efforts to clear the rubble have been underway; there is a concerted effort to expedite the recovery operations. Ukraine’s Ministry of Health has already appealed for assistance to support the hospital during this critical time.
Later, Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, reported that a multi-story clinic and a maternity ward in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi district had sustained damage from another Russian missile strike. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine specified that debris from the repeated shelling fell onto the medical centre building, with explosions heard around 1:00 PM. Preliminary reports confirm at least 7 deaths and 3 injuries at 18:00 local time. The medical centre has suffered partial destruction, and rescue operations to locate individuals are currently ongoing.
Explosions were also reported in Dnipro, Kamianske, and Kryvyi Rih. In Kryvyi Rih, preliminary reports indicate that ten people were killed and over 30 injured, with ten in serious condition, according to the head of the city’s defence council, Vilkul. The Russian attack also hit the administrative building of an industrial enterprise, and efforts to address the aftermath are ongoing. Ukrainian outlet Suspilne reported that as of 14:00 local time, rocket attacks on Dnipro have resulted in damage to 10 residential buildings and two dormitories.
Mykola Oleshchuk, the Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported on Telegram that according to preliminary data, on July 8, around 10:00 AM, Russia launched 38 missiles of various types at Ukraine, of which Ukrainian air defence destroyed 30.
Yuriy Ignat, a representative of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported on Facebook that during Russia’s attack on Ukraine on July 8, cruise missiles flew at very low altitudes, complicating their interception and potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. “The enemy is advancing not only in reconnaissance and strike UAVs but also in cruise and ballistic missiles. Consequently, these missiles are becoming progressively harder to detect and neutralise. The Russian missiles now feature enhanced countermeasures like radar and thermal decoys. In today’s attack, cruise missiles flew at exceptionally low altitudes, sometimes as low as fifty meters, significantly heightening the risk of severe ground-level impacts,” Ihnat emphasised.
As of 20:00 local time, Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior reports indicate 33 fatalities and approximately 140 injuries. In Kyiv, 22 fatalities and at least 61 injuries have been reported. In Kryvyi Rih, preliminary data shows 10 fatalities, with one reported death in Dnipro. Across the Dnipropetrovsk region, a total of 64 injuries have been reported thus far.
Forbes magazine estimated that the Russian missile attack costed between $200 million and $250 million. Additionally, Forbes assessed the value of intercepted missiles at approximately $160 million to $200 million.
